Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

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Florida Center for Research in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Dr. Joe Travis
A multi-disciplinary research centerat Florida
State University
Dr. Laura Lang
Dr. Marcy Driscoll
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Established under Florida Statutes, Section
1004.86 (2006)

• Mission
• Contribute to the scientific body of knowledge
  regarding how students learn science and
  mathematics, and how this learning is assessed
• Improve teaching and learning in Floridas STEM
  classrooms and
• Increase students preparation for higher
  education and careers in the 21st Century.

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This Presentation

• Background and initial understandings regarding
  the system.
• Project timeline and status of 2008-09 work.
• Highlights of Review of Research.
• Results of advisory panel survey.
• Your turn questions, survey opportunity.

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National Mathematics Advisory Panel

• Teachers regular use of formative assessment
  improves their students learning, especially if
  teachers have additional guidance on using the
  assessment to design and to individualize
  instruction. The results are sufficiently
  promising that the Panel recommends regular use
  of formative assessment for students in the
  elementary grades.
• (National Mathematics Advisory Panel Final
  Report, 2008)

• Recommended Reading
• Inside the Black Box
• Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam
• http//www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm
• Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 80, No. 2., October 1998

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A Primary Grades Math Task
What are the numbers on two doors that are 19
spaces apart?
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2008-09 project timeline
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Mathematics Formative Assessment System

• For all students in Prekindergarten through grade
  3
• Florida Center For Reading Research (FCRR)
  developing PreK Mathematics Assessment System
  one year ahead of K 3 project.
• FCR-STEM 2008-09 budget includes costs for
  conducting review of research and planning for
  K-3 System.

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Initial guidance on Formative System

• Purpose To inform instruction and help teachers
  to
• identify what students know and can do
• decide on next steps for instruction
• Tasks will be aligned with Next Generation
  Sunshine State Standards and selected learning
  progressions.
• To the greatest extent possible, the system will
  be web-based.
• Tasks will be designed to be easily administered
  and scored by teachers.
• Results will be aggregated in an electronic
  system.

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Formative Assessment System content

• Tasks will assess more than procedural knowledge.
• Proof and defense of solutions essential in all
  grades younger children may draw models.
• Tasks will be designed to reveal misconceptions.
• Students will be required to read as is
  grade-level appropriate.
• Tasks will align with new state assessments and,
  if possible, predictive.

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Other considerations

• The FDOE recognizes the need for professional
  development in the use of formative assessment
  processes.
• Use of results for accountability will be
  constrained by the pyschometric qualities of the
  resulting formative assessment tasks.
• The implementation of the plan that results from
  this years work is dependent upon annual
  appropriations.
• In 2009-10, if funded, system development will
  begin.

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Implementation time line
NOTE All dates and activities are dependent upon
funding and the final design of the assessment
system.
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Formative assessment review of research

• What is formative assessment?
• What formative assessment characteristics and
  practices are recommended in the literature?
• How do learning progressions and feedback affect
  the quality of formative assessments?
• What formative assessment tasks are used for
  mathematics in PK-3 classrooms?
• What foundational knowledge and understanding are
  most predictive of PK-3 students future
  mathematics learning and achievement?

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What is formative assessment

• Formative assessment is a process used by
  teachers and students during instruction that
  provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and
  learning to improve students achievement of
  intended instructional outcomes. (CCSSO, 2008)
• Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008a).
  Attributes of effective formative assessment.
  Washington, DC Author.
• http//www.ccsso.org/publications/details.cfm?Publ
  icationID362

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Highlights of Lit Review Findings

• What are the critical components
  characteristics of effective formative
  assessment?
• Used by teachers and students during instruction
• Close to classroom instruction
• Provides clear goals and criteria for success
• Measures what is important, not just easy to
  assess.
• Reveals students knowledge and cognitive
  strategies
• Reveals misconceptions
• Promotes metacognition

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Highlights of Lit Review Findings

• What are the critical components
  characteristics of effective formative
  assessment?
• Practiced frequently to allow revisions to
  instruction
• Balances content, process, task type, and
  circumstances of performance.
• Uses current knowledge about cognition and
  content
• Guides teachers in providing effective feedback
• Contributes to student- and learning-centered
  instructional decisions

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Highlights of Lit Review Findings

• What foundational knowledge and understandings
  are most predictive of future mathematics
  learning and achievement?
• Limited research available.
• Metacognition, listening, attending, productive
  disposition
• Number Sense
• Quantity discrimination
• Counting skills (sequence of number words,
  one-to-one correspondence, identification of
  missing numbers, cardinality, numerical
  magnitude)
• Simple arithmetic concepts and operations

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Highlights of Lit Review Findings

• What foundational knowledge and understanding are
  most predictive of future mathematics learning
  and achievement?
• Geometry
• Identifying and naming shapes
• Spatial sense
• Algebra
• Classification and categorization
• Analysis of patterns, identify core unit of
  pattern
• Measurement
• Recognize characteristics that can be measured
• Make magnitude comparisons (larger/smaller, )

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Highlights of Lit Review Findings

• What are learning progressions?
• Connect knowledge, concepts, and skills in a
  coherent sequence moving from novice to expert
  performance
• Critical for making instructional decisions
• Connect learning goals progressing across grades
  to big idea
• A braid of interconnected strands of learning
• Margaret Heritage

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Learning Progressions
Learning progressions follow conceptual
corridors the boundaries are state standards.
Formative assessment by teachers helps gauge
student progress through the corridor and give
instructional guidance. Jere Confrey
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NGSSS Math Learning progressions
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Definitions for survey

• Screening identify students likely to experience
  success or difficulty in learning with
  well-planned instruction
• Broad diagnostic identify key areas of potential
  difficulty in learning. For example, while
  screening may focus on numeration, the broad
  diagnostic measure might be spatial reasoning.
• Targeted diagnostic for students identified as
  at risk for learning difficulties. Such
  assessments isolate areas of students
  misconceptions.
• Progress monitoring regularly administered
  assessments of students knowledge to evaluate
  the effectiveness of instruction
• Formative CCSSOs definition

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Results of Advisory Panel Survey
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Your input

• Online survey for FOIL members
• www.survey.lsi.fsu.edu/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID78
  2J6o2
• Questions?
• Talk to me
• kellington_at_lsi.fsu.edu
• 850-644-0013

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www.fcrstem.org

• You will find todays presentation, the
  literature review, and other information on our
  website under Specialized Initiatives.

Kris Ellington kellington_at_lsi.fsu.edu 850-644-00
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